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Topic: Artists Alley 2013 FAQ (Read 145706 times)

I said the applications were shooting to be up in early May, which it still is. There is only so fast a speed we can go when dealing with the legalities of finalizing the contracts our Artists have to sign. We are still on schedule to what we were last year, and everything ran smoothly for the applicants. Please just give us a little more time. As I said, there is only so fast a speed we can move.

Question..I see the FAQ was put up under the AA tab on the main page..Does that mean we can email about a contract? Or will there actually be a clicky later where the signups actually are? I just wanna clear this up, not having been there before. Thanks

Printing off stuff is more than welcome. That's actually how most artists sell their work. Even the professionals. It's a lot cheaper to digitize your art and then print them up as you need them as opposed to hand drawing each of them. Not that there aren't artists who hand draw a lot of the things they sell! As for giving credit, that is perfect!

Jeimi-

There will be a link put up on the AA tab once the application process is opened.

Can I sell fan art?Yes. As long as your art is composed by your own hand (no tracing or related activities) and does not violate any copyright laws, you are allowed to sell it. You will be asked to remove any art that does not meet these qualifications.

Printing art that is your own (or your friend's with their permission and credit) is fine since most artists work digitally, however it sounds like you are asking to print already-made symbols that you would pull from Google (or anywhere that is not from your own hand), and crediting the original artists but selling them for your own profit. This is in fact, illegal and even though you are crediting them, it is a matter of copyright infringement, as it is highly unlikely that you've gotten permission from the original artists or corporate owners of the property. If you want to use symbols such as the FMA Oroboros Dragon, Avatar Nation symbols, or Naruto symbols, they have to be hand drawn (and not traced) by law. For example, this is the same with the Batman symbol. If you wanted to put it on something, even a print, it cannot look like pre-existing Batman symbols.

Items with licensed game/anime/manga/etc. art on it are often referred to as grey-market items (aka bootleg) because they are fake merchandise and stolen imagery. If you or your friend are drawing (not tracing or re-drawing an already existing image) the images and symbols (but not logos, that is another infringement issue as well) and printing them off, then that is fine.

I hope I'm not stepping on anyone's toes here! I just ran across this discussion (as I'm looking out for AA registration as well) and I've seen some concerning questions and imagery concerning buttons especially (where artists who are newer to the con circuit are using googled images for buttons and crafts) and I do not want any newer AA artists to get in trouble legally, nor do I want Kurmoricon to run into legal issues because of this. Last year, Kumoricon was my favourite convention to sell at, and I want it to be just as enjoyable to everyone.

Oh, no no. I would be drawing them by my own hand. I was trying to ask if we could print them out yes, but not sell as our own. I dont have a very steady hand, as I am a naturally shaky person. I was talking about a base, like light projecting a symbol onto a wall and outlining the rim, to go back and touch it up myself later after I do what I need to do for myself.Some sights such as Zerochan.net and MiniTokyo.net, its hard to contact people cause unlike DA they dont have message boxes or anything.A lot of people use bases for their work, everywhere and any time for anything. Thats what I was asking, if I could use a picture as a base, litterally just the bodies, and everything else by hand. It's not exactly copyright, cause bases are fairuse, unless stated otherwise on DA.

You're not stepping on anybodies toes, Promise! Its that all the characters we want to get done, my friend cant do them on her own so we were trying to find a way that I might be able to help get some fan art made for the both of us. I was thinking of asking my other friend to give us a hand as well.

Aaa forgive me, I feel like I'm misunderstanding. But what you just described is tracing, which is again, against AA rules. The entire drawing must be done by your hand, not traced (even if the base is supposedly fairuse). The "no tracing or related activities" in the AA's rules encompasses what you just described. It is still stealing. Bases are often not put up for commercial use.

I get what your saying, but I dont think you understand completely.I'm drawing the symbols for my bows and I will be drawing them by my own hand.I am asking if it will be ohkay to practice 'tracing' the outline, till I get a good enough grasp to do it without.the Practice Makes Perfect kind of thing.

I was talking about a base, like light projecting a symbol onto a wall and outlining the rim, to go back and touch it up myself later after I do what I need to do for myself.

I'm not very good with words, in any situation, online or off. I take medication for my anxiety and headaches it helps keep me steady and calm. To go back and touch it up myself later, I meant to go back once I get the hang of drawing it and taking care of, well myself. -points above, will erase that when I see a responce from you.

Also, I didn't bold that to make a point or to be mad, just so you knew which line I was talking about.

Hmmm I guess I'm just confused as to what you're using them for! Are you selling these as prints? It is just uncouth to have traced work at your table in AA (for sale or as example, etc) either way. If you are using bases as practice at home, but not for the convention, I guess I am confused as to why you need AA permission to do this.

Even outlining just the rim is tracing, even if you don't trace the face, clothes, etc. You cannot sell work that uses this method, is what i'm saying. It is also unwise to sell work that is referenced completely from pose. When referencing, the pose needs to be 70% different from the reference you are drawing from to avoid stealing/tracing/copying/etc.

I guess I am confused as to the exact purpose these drawings will have at the convention! Please let me know what exactly you are using them for at your table. Maybe that will help clear any confusion.

I'm just a really paranoid person, and this is my first year in the artist alley, IF I do the artist alley.

They will be made into charms for bows, bracelets, or stickers and buttons.The Character Charms will be made by hand from two friends will be getting full credit.I'm not to confused, I'm actually get my answer's somehow~

I'm sorry for being confusing, its been busy busy and I'm trying to focus, but not to well today, apparently.

I understand! Kumoricon is a great convention for your first year, so I hope everything works out.

Hmm okay. So if you are making them into charms, stickers, or buttons, you cannot use any method of tracing. And like I mentioned, should you be referencing from another photo or drawing, it needs to be 70% different in pose to avoid copyright issues.

If you are tracing as a study, and then not tracing AT ALL for the final product, there should be no issues. However, like I said, bases are often not free for commercial use, as you would be profiting off of someone else's work.

In the end, you cannot trace or redraw imagery for anything you are planning to sell. (Sorry if I am sounding like a broken record, I'm sure you get my point) Even if they are drawing it themselves, it cannot be copied exactly from another drawing (pose or otherwise).

Haha. Got it. The only issue I'm trying to work around are the symbols. Making those 70% different from the original concept is a bit difficult.I wouldn't be charging for the image though, only the buttons themselves..My dad said he thought that would be ohkay, but that is another thing I needed to check on.

Symbols are not so much a 70% rule as they are just hand drawing them in your own way. I would suggest looking at how different people draw the zodiac symbols, cutie marks, etc. So long as you are not tracing the symbol, but drawing your own take on it, you would be okay.

You cannot take an image that you did not draw and sell it at material cost (or any cost at all). You could give it away for free, but even then taking other peoples' work is unethical.

I am assuming that you would be charging more than material cost for the buttons anyway. If you were only selling the buttons and not the image, you would not profit from your sales at all (and that's no fun!). If you put imagery that is not yours and is traced/copied/etc. in the buttons and sell them, you ARE selling the image. People won't be looking at your buttons for button parts, but for the image on them. If you put blank button parts on your table, it is unlikely you would sell them.

Selling for material costs only applies to Homestuck (and even then, only with Hussie's permission). And even homestuck work is drawn by the artist selling and not taken from the comic.

You're welcome. I wish you luck in preparing and applying! It is always a stressful time (I'm doing this year's financial plan and it is making me weep. My travel costs are so high this year because I am doing ~8 conventions).

Please feel free to message me if you have any other questions (not just copyright issues). And I apologize to the mods for hijacking this thread, but I hope other artists, new and old, might find this information just as useful.

You're welcome. I wish you luck in preparing and applying! It is always a stressful time (I'm doing this year's financial plan and it is making me weep. My travel costs are so high this year because I am doing ~8 conventions).

Please feel free to message me if you have any other questions (not just copyright issues). And I apologize to the mods for hijacking this thread, but I hope other artists, new and old, might find this information just as useful.

I WISH I was doing 8 cons this year! This will be my first con ever and then I am hoping for Oricon. . .

I think it's good to start out small! It may seem ideal to do a billion cons in a year at first, but it's really stressful and tiring. I suggest easing into smaller conventions like Kumoricon, and then as you get a feel for what sells, what doesn't, etc. you can start jumping into larger conventions. Conventions are an expensive process, so it's best to keep costs low until you start bringing in the money to go to more conventions and travel more often. This year I'm finally doing my first convention in Canada, but since I'm leaving the country and it's the biggest con of the year for me, it's VERY expensive and I am praying I really bring in the dough haha.

Because I'm in the western comics scene, I am attending mostly comic conventions instead of anime conventions this year. Trying to sell some work while I grab a portfolio review or two from artists and editors for publishing companies in hopes of job offers.

I wish you luck! I'm not familiar with Oricon, but I do hope you get a spot there as well!

This is probably not possible, and that's totally okay, but I thought I'd ask anyway. I'm kind of interested in the possibility of buying two tables, if I'm approved for the show? I just have so much stuff. @__@

I can't say for certain, since I'm not a staffer, but from previous con experiences, getting more than one AA table is usually frowned upon due to the limited amount available and the fight to get them. Some of the larger cons had an issue with a particular artist that would use his friends to buy up multiple tables and they would all be selling his prints.

Multiple tables are more accepted in the Dealer's hall for most conventions though.

Yes, cons do vary on how many tables they'll allow you to buy! And that is alright. c: I just want to ask so I can know the answer. I would rather have one table in the artist alley than two tables in the dealer's room, artists are way funner.

Ah yeah I was happy to see the new venue last year! I also exhibited in 2010, in that parking garage that turned out to be okay but was still a parking garage. XD I think this new hotel was pretty nice, I don't think you really need a bigger venue (yet.)

NVM. Me and my parrtner decided that having our first AA in a con we have never been to, miht not be the best idea. Since we don't know layout, clientel, and other info we might want to know, it just seems a better idea to start at a con we have been to first.

Please be patient with us. There is a lot of fine detailing things that we have to get finalised before we can open registration. It's been a little slower than we had planned, but there is still plenty of time before the convention for artists to apply, get approved, and start stocking their product. Any photos that are posted to the forums will be ignored, because it will only cause us to spend more time looking through them when we have the applications set up to look through. We're almost ready for applications to open up and are working at getting them up and open for you all ASAP.

Jeimi-

I'm sad to hear that you've decided to hold off this year, but it is understandable. I hope you get the information you're looking for while you're at the convention!

Sorry to pop in with another question when you're already busy but do all the prints I intend to sell at the convention need to be complete before I try to register for a table? I'm currently thumbnailing/sketching a fanart series of my five favorite anime for the con but I just started. ;

I am with Lorien077 on this. I say this because there are pictures I have approved by the orginal artisian to use as an example for what I will make (since the work is handcrafted from wire to ring to finished item, by me it becomes unique to me)

Not EVERYTHING you plan on selling has to be represented when you apply. We just need a sample of the work you're offering.

Lysenis-

As long as you have completed samples of your crafts, then that doesn't matter. You could provide us with the pictures so we know what else you're planning on offering, but it isn't necessary. We just need to get an idea of what you're offering so we can do our light jurying.

Not EVERYTHING you plan on selling has to be represented when you apply. We just need a sample of the work you're offering.

Lysenis-

As long as you have completed samples of your crafts, then that doesn't matter. You could provide us with the pictures so we know what else you're planning on offering, but it isn't necessary. We just need to get an idea of what you're offering so we can do our light jurying.

-Krys

Interesting. . . . doing that with drawn works is one thing but with artisian work. . . . well its your con.

I don't see how that can't apply to artisan works as well. Being a crafter myself, one of the things I pride myself on is consistency and quality. While I always have new merchandise at each con I go to, there are some items that I will always carry because folks love them. I've had people come to me at different cons and buy one, saying "I saw you guys at X as well, and wanted one of these but you ran out/didn't have the color you want but this time you do yay!"

Even if the stuff I send in for samples and demos is not exactly what I may have in stock, it still shows your level of skill. The light jury really only consists of showing you have a modicum of talent and can deliver what you pitch.

I hope the applications OR waitlist won't be judged at all on the time stamp of the application? ^^; The 1st of June is the weekend of A-kon. I'm pretty sure I'm not the only artist going to A-kon and planning to apply for Kumoricon.

if the sign ups take till june to get out and will be up for a month, then there has to be time for judging of course which if that takes another month there will only be a little less then a month for the people who actually make it in to re stock for the convention... this is causing quite a lot of stress...

if the sign ups take till june to get out and will be up for a month, then there has to be time for judging of course which if that takes another month there will only be a little less then a month for the people who actually make it in to re stock for the convention... this is causing quite a lot of stress...

And people wonder where my warm fuzzy feeling went about all this ...

So pretty much we will have a month to stock and build our inventory... Yup warm fuzzy dissapearing faster every day..

If I could make a reccommendation, start the process next week have it go till the middle of June, and make your dicissions from then to the end of June. That way you give us time to make our inventory so we are not running around with no heads when our inventory runs out, because it will with a month of prep.

Also if this is not a priority it should be. I know i for one will be spending $150 for my booth alone, if I get chosen.

We are not a first come, first serve process. Everyone will get equal judging opportunities. It is solely based on your product, not when you apply.

Devy-

We won't take the entire month of July to go through the applicants. You will have time to restock your stores in time for con. And if you don't think you will have the time once confirmation emails go out, I would highly suggest getting started now. Crafts and prints don't have an "expiration date" and can be saved for future selling tables if you don't get into Kumoricon's AA.

Lysenis-

We can only move so fast. With how many people are involved in getting the application and contract ready and working and just up on the website so we can test it, it takes time. And as I said to Devy, if would be wise to start getting your inventory refilled now, as your products will not go bad if you end up not being accepted into AA.

Products is one thing, but we Also have to worry about transportation, housing and a few other details. Due to the delays in process these basic needs are going to increase in price for us.

The point is not the fact that our products will last it comes down to the continued delays. What if there is a delay in June? To be honest, why is there a need for so many people in this process? At most you need 4 people, 1 lawyer, head of Kumoricon (or the vice chair) head of artist alley and the vice chair of artists alley.

Its not me i worry about but your reputations. These delays look bad for you, and as Dev pointed out it is causing stress and worry for those that want to do this...

[Please understand that I am not using 'you' in direct reference to anyone in this thread, but in regard to any artist attending AA, including myself]

Personally I am struggling to understand what all of this fuss is about. While I agree that it is ideal to have more time between confirmation of space and the convention itself, delays do happen. Complaining about the delays continuously will not make registration come to us any faster, and Krys has been nothing but polite, patient, and communicative while responding to questions and comments that have been quite disrespectful. There's a level of entitlement in them that is really disappointing, and has given AA's (or rather, the artists who attend them) a bad name at other conventions.

A-kon is a fantastic example of a convention with late notification. According to friends who are tabling in their AA, they JUST got their confirmation last week, and the convention opens May 31st. Kumoricon is trying to give us as much time as possible and we should still have approximately 1 1/2 months to finish prep, secure a place to stay, and secure a way to get there. This is, admittedly, not much time if you are traveling long distance like my table partner and myself are, however if you are local, or driving, this should not be a problem.

Even unconfirmed, it is free to reserve your hotel/hostel or plan to stay with friends in their homes. Hotels will ask for your credit card, but will not charge you, and so long as the room is not cancelled the day before the convention, cancellation is free as well. While I have no way to know if I will be going this year, I do have my room booked, and now I am just waiting to book my bus ticket (which can be purchased as refundable as well, but is often more expensive to do in the long run).

A solution to not rushing the production of merchandise would be preparing before even applying for a convention. Most artists I know work year round to produce new merch. This not only keeps you prepared for last minute convention adventures (I was once informed by a friend that I was tabling with her the DAY before the convention. Let me tell you, that's cutting it close), but keeps your products fresh and your sales booming. It allows you to retire products that don't sell well while keeping fans and attendees that might see you at multiple conventions buying. Without this constant flow of work, eventually people run out of things to buy.

Being prepared ahead of time also allows for you to work with inevitable convention delays. While we wish they were all as reliable as the Japan Rail, it's just not the case. It is never a convention's fault that you cannot get your merchandise done in time.

As it is, Kumoricon is doing its best to be accommodating. If the convention date is too close for comfort, or you do not like how the convention is being run, then don't go. If your merchandise would have to be rushed and you might not have the quality you would be proud of, or the quantity you need to run your shop in time for September, then it might be wise to look for another convention farther off. Or plan for next year.

[Please understand that I am not using 'you' in direct reference to anyone in this thread, but in regard to any artist attending AA, including myself]

Personally I am struggling to understand what all of this fuss is about. While I agree that it is ideal to have more time between confirmation of space and the convention itself, delays do happen. Complaining about the delays continuously will not make registration come to us any faster, and Krys has been nothing but polite, patient, and communicative while responding to questions and comments that have been quite disrespectful. There's a level of entitlement in them that is really disappointing, and has given AA's (or rather, the artists who attend them) a bad name at other conventions.

A-kon is a fantastic example of a convention with late notification. According to friends who are tabling in their AA, they JUST got their confirmation last week, and the convention opens May 31st. Kumoricon is trying to give us as much time as possible and we should still have approximately 1 1/2 months to finish prep, secure a place to stay, and secure a way to get there. This is, admittedly, not much time if you are traveling long distance like my table partner and myself are, however if you are local, or driving, this should not be a problem.

Even unconfirmed, it is free to reserve your hotel/hostel or plan to stay with friends in their homes. Hotels will ask for your credit card, but will not charge you, and so long as the room is not cancelled the day before the convention, cancellation is free as well. While I have no way to know if I will be going this year, I do have my room booked, and now I am just waiting to book my bus ticket (which can be purchased as refundable as well, but is often more expensive to do in the long run).

A solution to not rushing the production of merchandise would be preparing before even applying for a convention. Most artists I know work year round to produce new merch. This not only keeps you prepared for last minute convention adventures (I was once informed by a friend that I was tabling with her the DAY before the convention. Let me tell you, that's cutting it close), but keeps your products fresh and your sales booming. It allows you to retire products that don't sell well while keeping fans and attendees that might see you at multiple conventions buying. Without this constant flow of work, eventually people run out of things to buy.

Being prepared ahead of time also allows for you to work with inevitable convention delays. While we wish they were all as reliable as the Japan Rail, it's just not the case. It is never a convention's fault that you cannot get your merchandise done in time.

As it is, Kumoricon is doing its best to be accommodating. If the convention date is too close for comfort, or you do not like how the convention is being run, then don't go. If your merchandise would have to be rushed and you might not have the quality you would be proud of, or the quantity you need to run your shop in time for September, then it might be wise to look for another convention farther off. Or plan for next year.

For me, this will be my for me convention. So I may be looking at the small Picture. Thank you, this actually helped me step back and take everything in again. Now I am still worried but not as much as i was. While I am close (across the river close) I am also worried about those that are not as lucky.

I'm glad it was able to alleviate some of your worries. Try not to worry about other artists traveling further to get there. At this point they should know if attending Kumoricon will be wise financially (and perhaps even mentally, seeing as last minute preps are always very stressful), or if they should look elsewhere or plan for next year instead. In my experience, if they are traveling a considerable distance to attend a convention, it is probably not their only one that year. The less the staff is pressed to expedite procedures, the faster they can get their jobs done, and the sooner we get to apply.

This is not to say that we, as artists wishing to purchase space, should not give them feedback regarding the sign-up process. It is a delay. Perhaps it would be wise, if possible, for Kumoricon to settle legal matters regarding the AA earlier next year. A polite message conveying any stress/inconvenience/displeasure a later sign-up date is always useful to conventions, as it helps them plan better for the following year. Anything else will make them hate their job and is not beneficial to the convention or the artists attending.

[Please understand that I am not using 'you' in direct reference to anyone in this thread, but in regard to any artist attending AA, including myself]

Personally I am struggling to understand what all of this fuss is about. While I agree that it is ideal to have more time between confirmation of space and the convention itself, delays do happen. Complaining about the delays continuously will not make registration come to us any faster, and Krys has been nothing but polite, patient, and communicative while responding to questions and comments that have been quite disrespectful. There's a level of entitlement in them that is really disappointing, and has given AA's (or rather, the artists who attend them) a bad name at other conventions.

A-kon is a fantastic example of a convention with late notification. According to friends who are tabling in their AA, they JUST got their confirmation last week, and the convention opens May 31st. Kumoricon is trying to give us as much time as possible and we should still have approximately 1 1/2 months to finish prep, secure a place to stay, and secure a way to get there. This is, admittedly, not much time if you are traveling long distance like my table partner and myself are, however if you are local, or driving, this should not be a problem.

Even unconfirmed, it is free to reserve your hotel/hostel or plan to stay with friends in their homes. Hotels will ask for your credit card, but will not charge you, and so long as the room is not cancelled the day before the convention, cancellation is free as well. While I have no way to know if I will be going this year, I do have my room booked, and now I am just waiting to book my bus ticket (which can be purchased as refundable as well, but is often more expensive to do in the long run).

A solution to not rushing the production of merchandise would be preparing before even applying for a convention. Most artists I know work year round to produce new merch. This not only keeps you prepared for last minute convention adventures (I was once informed by a friend that I was tabling with her the DAY before the convention. Let me tell you, that's cutting it close), but keeps your products fresh and your sales booming. It allows you to retire products that don't sell well while keeping fans and attendees that might see you at multiple conventions buying. Without this constant flow of work, eventually people run out of things to buy.

Being prepared ahead of time also allows for you to work with inevitable convention delays. While we wish they were all as reliable as the Japan Rail, it's just not the case. It is never a convention's fault that you cannot get your merchandise done in time.

As it is, Kumoricon is doing its best to be accommodating. If the convention date is too close for comfort, or you do not like how the convention is being run, then don't go. If your merchandise would have to be rushed and you might not have the quality you would be proud of, or the quantity you need to run your shop in time for September, then it might be wise to look for another convention farther off. Or plan for next year.

It is never a convention's fault that you cannot get your merchandise done in time.

It isn't directly the con's fault and I love Kumoricon and the nice people who run the thing - BUT - I do have to fall on the side of encouraging Kumori to get things together faster next year. There are a lot of reasons why earlier notification would help everyone.

Do we need to provide anything WITH the application when it is time to send them in? Like a copyright or a business licence? I want to make sure that i have everything ready to go when the application is ready to be filled out.

Okies cool. So, for our products, what should we bring? I mran, since kumoricon is purely a Japanese culture celebration and convention, should my items be focused around that? Or is it okay just to stick with my normal items: Ponies, cupcakes, angry birds, bears, ect.